Maps on a Garmin Forerunner 235

[linda9389]

I've just had a fun ride trying out a Garmin IQ app called dwMap. It let me plan a route (I did it in map my run then imported it, but you can do it in dwMap itself), download it to my watch and then ride with the map displayed and where I was on (or indeed off) the route. Being the 235 it was a very simplistic map, but it worked well. I have some other routes already created in map my run and in strava, so I will have a go at downloading those in the future. It's pretty simplistic as the 235 doesn't have much memory and I'm only using the free version of the app, but I loved having a dynamic map on my wrist - no stopping to get the phone out and check where I needed to go. The ride all seems to have transferred to Garmin and Strava OK too. It can equally be used for a run. Very happy with that! Will use it again.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon]

Well I never knew my 235 was so clever! Shame I’m not. 🙄🙄 I’ll need to have a play. Thanks for that Linda, it sounds great. Glad you had a good ride. At least you have a running substitute. 😀

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

I've had mine a year and only discovered the map yesterday 😃

[roseabi Ultramarathon]

Hmmmm I'd better try that! 💗💗💗

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to roseabi]

Should be even better on yours than my 235 because you can have full map detail in the background whereas there isn't enough memory in the 235.

Having said that, there may be other better options for you to get maps on the Fenix - Colinsmith mentioned Strava routes (although I'm not sure whether that's dynamic or not) but the 235 isn't compatible with that.

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to linda9389]

Yes quite a few to look at! 😄

[Colinsmith Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

Hey Linda. Just tested dwMap out at lunchtime. Pretty good... I think you’d still need to have a fairly sure idea of your route before you set off though. The zoom in and out is useful - I’m not sure if Strava routes do that. I couldn’t quite make out how adjustable the data screens are using dwMap. I’d probably want to be able to include pace and laps in there somewhere.

I’ll have a go with the other options sometime too.

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Colinsmith]

I suspect all the things you might want to change require the paid version! When I'm cycling I tend not to look at stats, I'm only interested in staying on route. I blew the map up really large so I could see where I needed to turn, and that worked well - I didn't need to stop. At one point I went off piste thru the woods and came out at a road - it was part of my route so I just picked it up; although I had no idea where on my route I was, at least I knew I was going in the right direction 🤣

[Colinsmith Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

I tried out the Garmin routes (ie, not using dwMap appjust using the navigation function in the activity menu) on my ride home last night. It seemed useful in that it actually tells you how far you have to go before a turn like a satnav, but I couldn’t work out whether you can change the zoom on the map at all while following the route. 🤔 Perhaps not. You CAN zoom in and out on the map before you do it, but that’s not particularly helpful! It gave an ‘on course’ alert at one point. Not sure if it gives the opposite.

Seems that Garmin routes might be more useful than dwMap if you’re really quite uncertain of your route? I shall continue with my spectacularly tedious investigations, and no doubt come to the conclusion that I’d rather just get lost and look at my phone... 😊

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Colinsmith]

That sounds useful but pretty sure I don't have it on the 235. I can zoom in and out while on my route - even while cycling - with dwMap so it might be possible with garmin routes too. I think the paid version of dwMap has turn by turn alerts but not my freebie one

[Colinsmith Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

Looks like you’re right. I’d always thought the 735 was essentially just the 235 but with triathlon bits added, but it seems the 235 is lighter on the navigation stuff too.

I tried it again and deliberately went off course; it gave me a warning then it shows how far off course you are visually on the map and in metres. On a bike the turn-by-turn lags behind by around 10-15 metres. Just thought I’d mention in case this thread is any use to anyone in the future. I might use Garmin Routes if/when I start to stretch distance towards marathon (gulp) as I doubt I’ll fancy just looping my regular routes.

[SaskAlliecat Half Marathon]

That is really neat! The 235 is on my short-list for when/if I upgrade from my very basic Garmin FR 10.

[Deals1 Metric Marathon]

ohhh I didn't know this either! thanks for sharing, will have to take a look

Pleased you enjoying the cycling

[SkiMonday Ultramarathon]

Seems to me this could be useful in a downpour! I'm wary of getting the phone out in such conditions and the touch screen doesn't work properly when it's wet.

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to SkiMonday]

I use it all the time, rain or shine! It has it's limitations though because on the 235 you get no background map - just the red line route. I use an app called Komoot with it; Komoot runs on my phone giving me turn by turn voice prompts and dwMap gives me a visual on y watch. If things get really confusing I do occasionally need to get my phone out and check the detailed map in komoot. Iplan routes in komoot, then export the GPX file to dwMap so both are running with exactly the same base data.

Hope you're feeling OK, and still doing as you're told!

[SkiMonday Ultramarathon]

I hadn't realised there was that much to it; think I'll have to wait for Santa for that. For now, my Forerunner 35 works fine. It was fun a while ago when I tried out a new (local) route and missed a turning on the way back: I had to think!

I'm currently doing constant heart rate slow shuffle training where the aim is to keep my pulse under 70 on an outing to the end of the ward 😎.

I'm feeling OK thanks, and behaving myself but I hate to think about what my split times are now 😁.

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to SkiMonday]

Haha! I bet you make an interesting patient! Not sure I can even sit up without my HR going over 70 ... sounds like quite a challenge, good luck